The Legend of Korra, Chapter 5: Chapter 2: Below the Surface
by Jasiono
Summary: In which the world spins around two men who stay in place


This one's long, but bear with it. Next one is about Korra and Asami.

Len tried not to be angry. He honestly and truly did, but when he looked into the eyes of the president of the united republic, he saw a strong, confident, intelligent man who had his people's best intentions at heart. What he did not see, however, was a man who had ever fought tooth and nail for those intentions. He saw a political figure. He did not see someone who knew what he was thinking. He did not see someone who knew what it was like to see friend after friend fall on a battle field. He did not see someone that had done things they would regret for the rest of their lives for survival and survival only. He saw a politician, and not a soldier.

Len sat in the chair, and crossed his legs, the cigar hanging lazily from his mouth. The photo's laid out in front of him amazed him, in a way. These were not the sketches that he had to use as a was bordering on the incredible for him. The photographer had just taken a moment out of time, and put it on a piece of paper. He had heard that Varrick industries had been working on making them color, also. He never wanted that day to come. The day all these photographs would be in realistic color as well? It, in his mind, would add a visceral detail that he believed would make all the pictures he received in his day to day business that much more difficult to use to give orders.

"What do you think of this string of events?"

Len looked up, his eyes half glazed over. For a second, he was not in the president's office. He was not in republic city, but trapped in his mind again. Trapped with the beast.

He looked back down at the corpses in their coffin of monotone colors and paper.

"What you have here is... a very, very talented amateur. Either that or a lazy pro."

Raiko looked surprised. Taken aback. What could be so incomprehensible about what he had just said? Idiots, the politicians. They had no idea how to kill. How it felt. How decades later, it would eat at your soul. How you would wake up at night, checking your hands for blood stains. How it would become all they ever knew.

"What do you mean?"

"Raiko, if I were to tell you the top 10 most common ways people had been killed, number 1 would be in a fight, number 3 would be poison, and number 2 would be throat slitting. People think it's easy, but it's not. Blood gets everywhere. They have time for a final note. It gets on your clothes. It's not easy to hide. That's why pros don't do it. And I hire no one but pros."

"Then why do you think it's a talented amateur?

"A very, very talented amateur. And because there are no bloody footprints, no splatter missing, and no indication that there was anyone else there. It's good technique, but with a bad practice. Sorry Raiko, but this well is dry."

President Raiko tensed for a second, then deflated. He sat in his chair and slumped down, looking out over his city. His eyes lingered on the pillar of light, shooting into the infinite void of the sky, made finite by the clouds which blocked the stars.

"Raiko?"

"Yeah Len?"

Len was the one to be taken aback this time. To see someone in such a high seat of power act to formally and comfortable towards him was... different, and unsettling in a way.

"You seem... stressed. What's going on in this city?"

Raiko stopped slumping and leaned forward, his hands together and his hands clasped under his chin, his eyes to the floor.

"So many things are changing in this city. So much for good, but that does not mean that it's easy. Kuvira's in prison for war crimes, but there are protests every day. They're peaceful enough but that does not mean that my own citizens can be trusted to be peaceful as well. Varrick industries is producing new hover suits to combat the new bandit attacks now that there will be no monarchy and less protection for the independent cities, and while this will mean peace and prosperity, I'm losing money by having these paid for on good will. The Air Nation is being rebuilt just a few miles away, but for the life of me, I cannot bring Tenzin to rejoin the council for good, only as a consultant. And he was the wisest man there."

When Raiko resumed looking out at the city, Len joined him. This world was changing faster than either of them could comprehend, and soon, they would get left behind. Such is life.

"And what of the Avatar, Raiko? What is she up to?"

When he first heard a noise come out the president's mouth, he thought it was a sound of derision and annoyance. But then, after a second, laughter flowed out of his mouth, his eyes closed and tears flowing down his face.

"Oh yes, the Avatar! She's run off with the Future Industries girl, Asami Sato, into the spirit world. Who knows what they're getting up to in there."

It took a second for the gears in Len's brain to catch up to the full meaning of Raiko's words.

"By run off you mean they-"

"Yes! Apparently, they're deeply in love! Surprised us too! This kind of relationship is springing up all around in the world, although it seems to be the most common in the fire nation, but while I still shouldn't be surprised, I am."

"Two women. How odd."

"How odd."

And although it was only for a second, they shared a feeling that many soldiers also feel. The emotion that comes with being in an alien country with an unsure future ahead.

After a few more seconds of considering how dangerous and complicated the world was becoming, Len broke the silence.

"Was this all you called me for, Raiko?"

While Raiko's eyes did not meet his, he responded.

"Yes Len, you're free to go any time you like."

"Are you sure?"

This time, Raiko did turn to meet his gaze, and one exchanged look spoke volumes.

Len's eyes said "I know you've brought me here for a different reason. No, no, you didn't bring me here to look at these photo's at all. You brought me here so I'll be in Republic City. You're planning something, aren't you, you son of a bitch?"

Raiko's eyes said nothing in return. They were stone. Strong, stressed, confident stone. And nothing would be mined from this stone. Not yet.

"Yes, I am sure. Now please leave, I have work to do before I get home and the rain will only get worse.

Outside, the rain was indeed falling harder than before, but not hard enough to put out his cigar. As Len walked down the darkening street, a beggar in rags came up to him, and pleaded at his feet.

"Please sir, spare a light for an old southern water tribe veteran? I need a smoke and non of my matches will light in this weather."

Admittedly, if he had not known him, and if he wasn't a professional, it would've been convincing. However, he did and he was.

"You're from the northern water tribe, you're just as rich as me, and you may be a veteran, but you're more than ten years younger than I. Get up."

Under the hood, mischievous eyes gleamed and sparkled with a malevolent intent. A voice 50 years younger than before sprang from the old man.

"You're no fun. I wanted to see how long it would take you to realize I was following you in different costumes on different days. Tomorrow I was going to sneak to a cafe where you were eating and steal a waiter's clothes."

"Well, I have to admit, your disguises are getting better, but your voice change is still dreadful. If you had coughed, I would've been able to tell it was you."

"Yeah yeah. Just give me a light and shut the fuck up."

A flickering flame spouted from his thumb as his colleague, Tanukua of the Northern Water Tribe, lit his smoke on it with an arm of Ice and water. It was beautiful really. Water at the joints of all the fingers and inside the palm, and where it connected to his natural elbow, metal to provide a non abrasive surface.

"I had to cover up what you're doing to Raiko."

"You didn't need to. I'm almost done here anyway. I'll be ready to leave with you tomorrow anyway. Just 2 more triad members."

Their twin smoke trails lingered in the rain but a moment.

"I'm planning something. I need you for it."

Tanukua looked interested. Like a child who's drunk uncle just asked if they've ever seen a deer's head explode before and "Why not?"

"How big?"

To which, Len only replied:

"Bigger."

In the spirit world, at this time, two young women share a tent, a blanket, a pillow, and a life. Neither cares to wear much clothing in private with the other, and both love the other for it. One, known as Korra of the Southern Water Tribe slips into consciousness, dresses, starts breakfast for her and her partner, and gets ready to continue to take on the Spirit World. Today, they'd visit an old friend or two. What ever destiny has planned, let it come. they'd be ready.

NEXT:Chapter 3: The right choice.


End file.
